just got it seerviced from HMP Delhi, at 25,000 km.
looks and styling:
looks are subjective but have grown on me after really enjoying to drive in this car. acceptable, still love the taillamps!
engine and performance:
out of all the small cars in the lower b segment( i10 included), this car seriously has the best performance in this category. Just dab the throttle and the engine responds so instantly that it makes drives enjoyable and overtaking a breeze. simply the easiest and stress free car to drive for Delhi roads.
engine oil used: mobil 1 synthetic.
fuel economy:
city-bumper to bumper traffic with a/c on: 15.6 kpl approx
highway: with a/c on at 80 kph constant: 18.9 kpl approx
mixed: 13-14 kpl approx
fuel used from day-1: speed 97.
driver appeal:
the high seating position is a boon especially the great all round view, which i dare say, is not present even in many expensive cars like the swift.
However, the badly placed pedals, sometimes pain for my legs, same goes for oddly placed rear power window switches.however, dead pedal is a big plus for those long drives.
great a/c cools instantly, gearshift simply smooth.
however, the front chin sometimes scrapes on the road when the car is driven over high-set speedbreakers, otherwise, no problem with the ground clearence. i wish hyundai improves the rear suspension or better ride comfort.
Steering feel:
absolutely delightful. compared to wagon-r, zen stilo and even spark which feels overlight and disconnected, this feels connected the wheels and secure at high speeds.
highway stability:
contrary to magazines' reports concerning the car's por stability on highway, many times i touched 145 at greater noida expressway and if driven with full concentraton and eyes wide open on the road, it feels absouletely stable and secure with no road noise.
tyres: stock goodyear GPS-2 tube type.
build quality:
even after 15 months and 25,000 km and abused over bad roads, the taut body structure feels rigid with no complaints of squeaks and rattles. will keep on updating over a period of ime as i clock more kms.
ownership experiance:
servicing done through sunrise, MGF and HMP.all the dealers are pretty competitive.only some minor issues lik late delivery etc faced but over all ownership experiance is very satisfying for me.
maintenence costs are low considering the heavy taxes
levied on parts which go to the government.
verdict:
anyone looking for a car as a first prchase on tight budget, a car which is enjoyable to drive and to own, looking for cars like wagon r, zen estilo, palio 1.1, indica xeta, alto, spark, and i10, the santro accoding to me is the best allrounder for both city and highway driving.
overall, 4/5, a very satisied owner of santro xing XO eRLX.